Beekman Charter Making Plans

Beekman Charter School supporters gathered at the gymnasium of the junior high to hear the Beekman Alumni and Friends plans for the introduction of a new charter school and the expansion from a junior high into a high school.

Beekman Alumni and Friend's president Keith Huntsman voiced congratulations to the large crowd and began going over changes that the junior high will undergo as it transforms into a charter school to include grades K through high school.

Items discussed during the public forum were construction layout plans, enrollment instructions, deadlines and student handbook policy changes that will transpire simultaneously as Beekman Junior High expands into a high school and transforms into a charter school.

"You will have one month to come to the school or central office and pick up a form prior to March 4," Huntsman said. "If I have 600 spots and 620 sign up, then there will be 20 that will not be enrolled."

Huntsman said students currently enrolled at Beekman Junior High will maintain their enrollment at the new charter school as long as they fill out the applications and return by the assigned date.

He stressed that no one will be automatically enrolled.

Free and reduced lunch forms will be counted at the beginning of the school year, he said.

"Funding depends a lot on that," he said. "We need to know how many teachers and classes that we will need."

Construction plans that will expand the grounds of Beekman Junior High discussed briefly.

A computer generated layout of the 22 acres of school grounds may be viewed on the Beekman Alumni and Friends Facebook webpage by clicking on the photo section.

Huntsman said the new school will not allow students to disregard the rules, and he declared the student handbook policies will be abided by earnestly.

"If you agree with it [the student handbook] sign it, if you don't, go wherever else," he said.

Huntsman discussed, in detail, enrollment and admission guidelines for those who are Beekman school-zoned residents, non-residents and siblings of current students.

"Pine Grove sixth graders and up are automatically in," he said. "The Pine Grove fifth graders are non-residents."

For more information or to enroll, contact Beekman Junior High at 281.1743 or the Morehouse Parish Central Office Complex at 281.5784.